What Matters Most
by Xx-Waking-Dreamer-xX
Summary: When you think about life, what matters most to you? Fame? Fortune? Friends? Family? Reputation? This question is an important one to answer for yourself. Now it is her turn. What matters most to her. Fuji/OC Tezuka/OCFriendship
1. Prologue

**Summer.**

 _Ten minutes, we have ten minutes to get to group and I bet he is still isn't ready._

Turning the corner, the petite chestnut haired girl started to pick up the pace looking for one door in particular. _For a genius you think he would try to be on time once in his life._ 305…306..307… "Room 108." Knocking lightly first, the girl opened the door to see her older friend staring out the window.

"Kunimitsu." _He's always staring out that window._ The girl looks at her watch. _Only seven minutes._

"Hn." The boy turned his head ever so slightly towards the girl.

"Kunimitsu, we only have seven minutes to make it to group. Why are you staring out that window again? Are you even ready?"

The taller boy completely turned to the girl this time, taking her in. She isn't a tall girl, but not very short either, the size suits her. She has chestnut brown hair barely passed her shoulders and piercing green eyes. She is wearing grey sweat pants, and the rehabs mandatory teal shirt. She is a relatively pretty girl, her dual ethnicity definitely showing through in her skin and face.

"I am taking in the last of this place, the United States is very different than Japan."

The girl looked over to the bed and saw his bed made and bags packed, his tennis racket still laying on the bed. _I forgot he was leaving tonight._ "Way to leave me in the dust 'Mitsu. Guess I'll have to get better and get out of here soon. Though I doubt you are at one hundred percent." She said with a laugh, trying to blow it off. _Looks like I'll be alone from now on._

Tezuka glared slightly at the nickname, then softened his gaze. The girl had truly become a good friend of his in the past two months. "No, the rest of my care will be done by a doctor back home. I have a team to get back to."

"Well I am going to head to group. You take your time." She started heading out the door, as she got to the entryway she stopped and turned around once more, "Thanks for being a good friend Kunimitsu. Oh, and I expect a match when we are both one hundred percent! I plan to whoop your ass!" The girl put up a V and stuck her tongue out at him.

"I wouldn't expect anything else Kimiko."

Kimiko walked as quickly as she could, gritting her teeth to the point it hurt. _Damnitt, why do I still have to be stuck here! Why can't I heal quicker! Damnitt Kunimitsu, why do you have to leave before me…_


	2. First Day

**Winter**

A new student is always the talk of the school. It rarely ever happens in Seigaku, but this year there have been two! The first was Ryoma Echizen who started about a month in to the school year and now there was another new student starting! Echizen was quiet his entrance to the school was like any other and then he exploded in talent on the tennis courts and his name is now known around the school as a talented Seigaku tennis regular. This new student's entrance was a bit more pronounced…to say the least.

Kimiko is not a flamboyant person, and does not revel in attention or want it for that matter. Her brother on the other hand is. And she just _knew_ that letting him drive her to school on her first day was a _very_ bad idea. His car was that of any teenagers' dream. A dark red convertible with, a black soft top and, what he loves the most, an amazing sound system. Loud music grabs attention.

He is similar to her in looks, with slightly darker brown hair and the same shade of green eyes. He's taller than her, much taller, but being two years her senior it is not surprising. Though unlike her, he has completely grown in to his looks, and boy did he have looks. He was handsome, athletically built, and knows how to get what he wants with an ever charming smile. One that she has mastered with years of practice as well.

"My dear little sister is starting her final year in Junior High!" He's beaming with excitement.

She rolled her eyes at his antics, "Daichi it is not that huge of a deal, I would be in high school if I was in the states. It's strange talking in Japanese again, it's been a while, it feels so foreign now."

"Yes, yes, Kimi. You are here in Japan now though! With me! The language will come back easily enough! Though obviously you do not love me enough to go to my school!"

 _Hyotei._ Kimiko did her research, she knew the life that those kids lived, that of the rich, the privileged and talented. All too flamboyant. Perfect for Dai. They turned the corner.

"You know why, plus you would be in the high school, and myself in the junior high, you wouldn't see me either way." It was true, Hyotei was _huge_.

"Yeah, yeah." He doesn't blame her, "Though you know that Hyotei has one of the best girl's tennis team in the country."

"Since when do I enjoy playing girls in tennis?" She wasn't trying to sound prejudice, it's just in her experience that the boys are usually more of a challenge. "Plus, you know if I would have picked Hyotei, father would have been ecstatic. Wealth, talent. Blah. Blah. Blah."

The two did not enjoy their father, for different reason, but equally the same. They turned another corner and Seigaku was in view.

"Shall we make an entrance Kimi?" the boy had a mischievous grin on his face, oh how he loved embarrassing his little sister.

Kimiko visibly paled, "Dai don't!"

It was too late. Daisuke turned up the music, blaring now, with some popular music from the states, and she was sure people could hear it from down the street. He pulled up to the gates of Seigaku, and every student within sight was staring at her. _So much for an easy first day._

Kimiko held her head up, a blank expression on her face, she could and would do this. She was Kimiko-fucking-Vance, and she was amazing in everything that she did. _So maybe she was more like her brother than she thought._ Either way, she grabbed her school bag, tossed her hair to the side, held her head high, and took every stare of the students in stride.

Daisuke finally turned down his music and called to her with a sly smirk, "Oh Kimi! Didn't you forget something?" The girl looked over her shoulder to see her brother on his knees in his seat and he proceeded to toss another bag a her.

She caught it haphazardly. _Her tennis bag_. She glowered at him. He sure wasn't letting her get her feet wet, he was making her dive right in. Daisuke smiled at her with his ever charming smile (she could have sworn she heard girls swoon), and sat back down, turned his music up, and drove away.

Kimiko turned back around and started walking toward the building with her head held high, both bags behind her back, and with all the confidence that she has acquired in the last fourteen years of life.

…a pronounced entrance indeed.

The students whispered and stared around her and she could hear some of what they are saying already.

"She's really pretty."

"Where is she from?"

"What year is she in?"

"I hope she's in my class."

"Is she rich? Famous?" _Kind of?_

"Was that her boyfriend?" _Ew._ "If not does she want a boyfriend?" _No._

"She plays tennis."

"Is she any good?" _If only they knew_.

Kimiko was used to hearing people talk about her, and with her entrance people were definitely talking. She smirked. Those who didn't see the entrance have definitely heard of it by now. Everyone was talking about her, but not to her. _She'll let the people wonder…though help to the office would be nice._ She continued walking until she saw a sign that pointed the way.

After finally acquiring her schedule and locker assignment Kimiko dropped her tennis bag and off at her locker and started searching for her class. …ten minutes after the bell rang for class to start, Kimiko stood outside the door of her classroom. Class 3-6. _Well it's now or never I guess._ She took a deep breath and opened the door and stepped in.

The entire class froze, the teacher stopping his discussion, all eyes on her. Though she's used to having the attention on her, Kimiko still turns a light shade of red at the attention.

"Sorry I'm late, I got a little lost." She gave that charming smile that she has been groomed to have since she was a child, the teacher was taken aback.

"Ah yes! Our new student, it's no problem, a new school is always confusing at first!" The teacher seems nice enough, "I am Haruko-sensei. Please introduce yourself to the class!"

She turned her attention to the rest of her class and bowed slightly. _I think this is what I am supposed to do right?_ "My name is Kimiko Vance, I am fourteen years old and just got back from the United States, so sorry if my Japanese is not the best right now. Nice to meet you meet you all," she scanned the room, the students looking like they are waiting for something. Oh yeah, they have a phrase of something right… "Oh! Please take care of me!" she bowed lightly again.

"Very nice Vance-san plea-" the teacher started.

"Kimiko."

"I'm sorry?"

"Call me Kimiko please, being raised in the states, I'm not used to the whole last name thing." _Plus my last name connects me to him._

"Well…okay. Kimiko-san then, since you arrived later than expected there will be no questions today. Please take the open seat next to Kikumaru-san. Kikumaru-san please raise your hand."

The boy that Haruko-sensei was talking about didn't just raise his hand, he full blown popped out of his seat. The boy had fire engine red hair, a bandage on his cheek, and the biggest grin on his face as if he won the largest prize at the carnival. He waived his hands back and forth as if he didn't already have her attention. Kimiko gave a smile of her own and sat down next to him.

"Hello, I'm Kikiumaru Eiji! But just call me Eiji! You're really pretty. You say you're from America? Where from? And why are you here now and not there? Do you like tennis?" this guy wasn't letting her get a word in edgewise, "I play tennis. I'm really good too. Hehe. I'm not good in English though, or maths. Are you good in English? You have to be you lived in America! Just like ochibi!"

"Eiji," the boy next to Eiji spoke up, "You haven't let her answer a single one of your questions." His voice was light and joking, but effectively stopped the boy from talking, finally realizing what he said. Eiji seemed to laugh it off but finally wait for her answers.

Kimiko laughed and silently thanked the other boy, "Yes I'm from the United States, San Diego to be precise. I'm here to live with my mother and brother. And yes, Eiji," the red headed boy brightened at his name, "I am very good at English. I do like tennis, even play sometimes, though it has been quite a while."

She seemed to catch the attention of both boys with that statement. "Are you any good?" it was the other boy this time.

Kimiko looked at the boy. He was gorgeous! Fair skin, (for a Japanese boy) light brown hair and a gorgeous smile! His eyes were open unlike the last time he spoke, an amazing blue! More blue than any eyes she had ever seen before, she felt like she was drowning in the ocean when she looked in to them.

"I'd like to think so, or at least I used to be. Really good in fact. But I haven't played in over a year, so who knows now." Kimiko stared out the window passed the boy. _It was a good thing I didn't get that seat. I would never concentrate._

Her answer didn't seem to be what he was expecting, though she understood, most people would not give such an honest answer to someone who they just met. Kimiko looked back at the two boys, they were staring at her. "Sorry, got a little lost in my thoughts-"

"Neh Kimiko! Will you play me!?" Eiji blurted out before she could say anything else.

"Huh?"

"It's been decided! You'll come to our practice after class and play me! Isn't it a good idea Fuji? I haven't played someone new in a long time!"

Kimiko looked for help from the other boy, Fuji she now knows, but he was just smiling, almost mischievously with his eyes closed. "I thinkthat would be great." He looked at her with that smile and she _knew_ he was someone to look out for.

After class had ended Eiji in all of his red headed, energetic glory dragged her out of the class and towards the boys tennis courts. Barely letting her stop to even switch out her bags.

"So were you expecting this Kimiko-chan?" Fuji smiled over at her impishly.

"Honestly," she started looking down at the hand that was clamped on to her wrist, dragging her along, "I was trying to avoid it, but my brother was I think. He packed it when I was asleep."

Eiji was still giddy with excitement talking at a million miles a minute ignoring the light conversation that her and Fuji were having, she was slowly learning that he did not even need anyone else to carry on his conversations. Fuji seemed used to it.

"So is Fuji your first name? Or is it something else? It kind of seems like a weird one if it is…no offense."

Fuji chuckled at the girl, she was definitely American, not afraid to be blunt on her questions. Though it was weird, she was also very calm. Her smile seems controlled and each word has an air about it to where it means no harm. She was definitely a weird one, even for the people he usually hangs out with "No my first name is Syusuke, but call me Fuji."

"Syusuke huh? I like it, and even though I don't completely understand the customs here. You call me Kimiko, and I'll call you Fuji. Is that fair?" she smiled, "Though I wouldn't expect honorifics, even talking to the teacher it seemed weird."

"You said you have lived here before, yet you claim everything is 'weird'? Can I ask why that is?"

"I have lived here before, but never long enough to catch on to the culture. I've always loved Japan, but I travelled a lot with my father growing up, so I didn't really get to enjoy it much." Fuji noticed she got that look again, the one she had in class where her smile faltered slightly and she seemed to space out.

"Kimiko-chan! We are here~!" Kimiko bumped in to the red head as he stopped suddenly, but quickly regained her composure.

Kimiko looked around, the tennis courts were a beautiful sight to her. The practice seemed to have already started, players were rallying and practicing their serves and their returns. She stared in awe, showing the first completely real smile of the day.

"We're going to get changed, be right back!" Eiji called out running towards the locker room.

 _I missed this, I really missed this excitement, the buzz that comes with it._ She was so in awe of everything that was happening around her, she did not even realize when the pair came back.

"Aren't you going to change Kimiko-chan?" The voice surprised her, she turned and nodded toward the brown haired boy. She was quick, she found the nearest bathroom, changed and ran back over to where the boys were. She was _Excited._

"That's different." Eiji hopped around her, inspecting her outfit.

It was not the conventional tennis outfit for a woman, she didn't enjoy how the skirt seemed to hinder her speed and chafe her the wrong way on her outer thighs. Her tennis outfit consisted of a light blue, tight spandex long-sleeved Underarmor thermal, black mid-thigh compression shorts, and silver over short-shorts. Her shoes, the silver and same colored blue, and her hair was now up in a high ponytail with all the loose hair held back with a silver blue hairband.

"It is more comfortable than the conventional outfit." She left it at that.

Eiji seemed to take the answer and dragged her in to the courts. When she was pulled through the gate, everyone seemed to stop and look at the two, she expected as much. She looked to Fuji and he kept that ever-present smile on his face. Eiji automatically went over to his side of the court, his racquet already in his hand, giddy with excitement. Kimiko plopped her bag on to the bench, grabbed her racquet and took her place on the court. She looked up and saw that Fuji had already taken his place as the referee.

"Neh! Kimiko! You serve first!" he was jumping with excitement as he said every word.

Kimiko grabbed a ball out of her pocket, and gripped her racquet. She bounced the ball a few times, threw the ball up in the air and raised her racquet for a simple, but powerful serve. She was about to make contact when a booming voice was heard across the court- "What is going on here!?"

 _That voice. She knew that voice. She heard that voice everyday for two months. Why is that voice_ _ **here**_ _?_ The ball bounced on the ground in front of her. Kimiko turned her body towards the voice, looking straight in to the person's eyes. She was at a loss for words looking at the boy in front of her. She never thought she would see him again. Finally she breathed out the breath she didn't even realize she was holding in.

" ** _Kunimitsu…"_**


End file.
